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A review by specialk136
Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
4.0
Some of my favorite novels are the ones with endings that just break your heart. Tess of the D'Urbervilles will break your heart - but it's also gorgeously written, with a moving condemnation of societal double standards we still live with today. It's a super interesting read in the lens of the MeToo era to realize how far - and also not far - we've come in 128+ years since this novel was written.
Here be spoilers.
Tess reminded me a lot of Lily Bart in The House of Mirth (Edith Wharton...another author who writes gorgeous tragedies). Both are poor and must work within the unwritten norms of their societies if they want to better their positions. Both are abandoned by the men they love, only to see those men come to their senses too late. And both are more innocent than those around them chose to believe. But while Lily is observant and cunning and understands perfectly the rules of society she's dealing with, Tess is naive. "How could I be expected to know? I was a child when I left this house four months ago," she cries to her mother. "Why didn't you tell me there was danger? Why didn't you warn me?"
Tess is a victim of self-shaming from the get-go. She believes she's responsible for killing their only horse on the road, when she was only driving the cart because her father was too drunk to do it himself. She is raped and impregnated by her rich "cousin" Alec D'Urberville, who uses the classic playbook of the sexual predator we still see today. Already in a position of power (in this case, in control of her livelihood), he is incessant in his advances, ignoring her denials, and by the end of the book, puts the responsibility on her, telling her it's her fault she's so beguiling he can't help himself. She spends the whole book paying for her "sins," believing herself at fault, the worst part being when the man she truly loves finds out and believes it too. When we see victim-shaming today ("why didn't you fight?" "Look how she was dressed," "Why did she go to that party anyway?") we can see we may not be as evolved as we think.
Hardy has a way of creating a rich atmosphere, setting his scenes beautifully to pull you into his world (who knew milking cows could seem so romantic?). The story moves surprisingly fast. I found I had to keep reading to learn what happens to Tess. If I have minor qualms, some of his descriptions can ramble a bit, and D'Urberville has a bit of a moustache-twirling-villian feel. Overall, though, Hardy has created a lovely, tragic book that will stick with me for a while.
Here be spoilers.
Tess reminded me a lot of Lily Bart in The House of Mirth (Edith Wharton...another author who writes gorgeous tragedies). Both are poor and must work within the unwritten norms of their societies if they want to better their positions. Both are abandoned by the men they love, only to see those men come to their senses too late. And both are more innocent than those around them chose to believe. But while Lily is observant and cunning and understands perfectly the rules of society she's dealing with, Tess is naive. "How could I be expected to know? I was a child when I left this house four months ago," she cries to her mother. "Why didn't you tell me there was danger? Why didn't you warn me?"
Tess is a victim of self-shaming from the get-go. She believes she's responsible for killing their only horse on the road, when she was only driving the cart because her father was too drunk to do it himself. She is raped and impregnated by her rich "cousin" Alec D'Urberville, who uses the classic playbook of the sexual predator we still see today. Already in a position of power (in this case, in control of her livelihood), he is incessant in his advances, ignoring her denials, and by the end of the book, puts the responsibility on her, telling her it's her fault she's so beguiling he can't help himself. She spends the whole book paying for her "sins," believing herself at fault, the worst part being when the man she truly loves finds out and believes it too. When we see victim-shaming today ("why didn't you fight?" "Look how she was dressed," "Why did she go to that party anyway?") we can see we may not be as evolved as we think.
Hardy has a way of creating a rich atmosphere, setting his scenes beautifully to pull you into his world (who knew milking cows could seem so romantic?). The story moves surprisingly fast. I found I had to keep reading to learn what happens to Tess. If I have minor qualms, some of his descriptions can ramble a bit, and D'Urberville has a bit of a moustache-twirling-villian feel. Overall, though, Hardy has created a lovely, tragic book that will stick with me for a while.